Masquerade

Chapter Eighteen

"There is a way to get you to that cabin very quickly," Barlow explains, jumping right into our travel plans. "The right side of that lake you were heading to leads into a manmade river, which extends to the eastern side of the woods where that cabin probably exists."

"Who made that river?" Kendry inquires, eyes fixed on him with extreme concentration. It's quite clear that he's already a fan.

"My tribe did, actually. It was several years ago, when soldiers were extremely present in the forest and we needed a way to hide and travel at the same time. So we built a long trench and placed hexes on it to avoid being detected, and the system worked for quite a while. But one day, we got found out and had to abandon the trenches, causing them to fill with water from the heavy rainfall. They slowly turned into the river you'll see today."

"You don't happen to have a boat in those big pockets of yours, do you?" Jac asks, obvious sarcasm in his voice. He's leaned up against a tree, arms crossed in obstinance. He's accepted that Barlow is on our team, but still doesn't seem at all enthusiastic about it.

"The other tribe mostly have control of the river now, so they have several boats lined up in the lake. If you're careful, you can take one without being seen," Barlow explains, continuing to be the definition of calm.

I don't miss his use of the word you're. "Are you not coming with us?"

"I'm afraid not. I am happy to give you the information you need, but I cannot risk facing the northern nomads. Relations are strained, and they would try to kill me on sight. But chances are they won't bother strangers."

"Does anyone even know how to steer a boat?" Wren demands, looking quite concerned. I imagine she's never been on one before.

No one speaks up, causing concern to rise within me as well. "I don't think we can use the river, then. It's too risky if none of us have the skills."

"Nonsense. A particular woman in my tribe is very skilled in nautical matters. I can send her to you, and she'll get you to the other side of the river in a wink. Scale the mountain and get to the lake, and she'll meet you there," Barlow offers.

I nod eagerly in response, quite satisfied with this new plan. Jac still doesn't trust Barlow, so maybe things will go more smoothly if we have one of the other nomads with us. He'll stop complaining, and we'll still get the help we need. It's a win-win situation, if you ask me.

"That sounds great. Thank you so much," Kendry pops in, eyes still full of admiration.

Wren stays silent, nervously looking up at the looming mountain before us. But she still seems incredibly grateful for Barlow's help, especially due to the whole river fiasco. Having a skilled boater will definitely put her at ease.

At this point, the only one who still dislikes Barlow is Jac. I can't put my finger on the reason why, for he's usually so easygoing and flexible. But something about this situation has set him off, and I just don't know what.

Barlow takes his leave of us, and I put out some light snacks to give us energy for the rough task ahead. Kendry is gushing about him to Wren – much to her annoyance – while waiting for the food to be ready.

Jac is quiet, probably pouting, until he suddenly looks over and approaches me.

"Are you sure you want to accept his help? I mean, this man was just terrorizing us not long ago and now we're putting all our trust in him?"

I look up at him from my spot on the ground, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. "It wasn't my decision. We all voted, so it's fair. And we're not 'putting all our trust in him', we'll still keep an eye on the woman he's sending. It's four against one, so how hard can it be to defend ourselves?"